I do not nor have I ever had anything to do with AtLA or Nickelodeon.
"BG means "Before [Air Nomad] Genocide" which happens when Aang is 12 years old.
I want to thank my Beta-Reader fanatla, without you Anila's Story wouldn't be as great as it is!
Chapter 28
A full month had passed and Zakai ended up staying with the two young women and their children. 'To protect them' He justified. Anila was more than happy to have him close, he was a great 'campfire lighter'. There was a few times he walked into town to perform in the marketplace for some coin. Anila told him to not worry about it, but he insisted that it is a man's job to earn the money, to care for his loved ones. And he did love both Anila and her beautiful little boy very much. He was still getting use to the fact that the airbenders didn't eat meat, all life is sacred they told him.
Anila was kneeling in front of the bubbling pot of vegetable stew. She had a burlap bag beside her, she shook her head as she frowned, "We are going to have to share the bread loafs, there's not enough for each of us to have our own."
"Nila, I was in the village yesterday, why didn't you tell me to get some more?" Zakai asked her.
"It's not your job to care for us, Zak. I can make sure we are fed." Anila told him.
"You are my family now… I mean… well I love you and you know that right?" He asked her.
"Yeah… I love you too, Zaki." She smiled at him, her cheeks pinking a bit.
"Then to me, you are my family… You and this beautiful little boy!" Zakai said, he had Aang in his lap. The toddler babbled happily at the two smiling adults. "And Karma is such a great person, a bit pushy but great and well beautiful little Sonam, she's like a niece to me."
Karma grinned as she looked up from the small intricate animal she was carving. "You're welcome!" She called back to him.
"After lunch we can all take a walk into town to buy more supplies. What all do we need to get?" Zakai asked the young women.
"Oh, I'll go check the rest of the supplies in Chesa's saddle." Anila said airbending herself onto her feet.
"Wow!" Zakai said every time he saw her do it, it never got old. He loved watching her airbend, it was amazing, and she was always so free and happy; her smile was beautiful and her laugh was like music to him. She had taken him on a flight with her glider, he was afraid that with how heavy he was that they fall out of the sky, Anila didn't wobble or strain herself in anyway.
Even though it was autumn, the weather still felt like summer, Anila had shed her many layers of robes and cloaks down to a light, curve hugging dress. She even went without shoes unless they were going into the village.
Anila giggled at his little comment, in her own head, she was still a clumsy, awkward girl. She had no idea that she had grown up to be more beautiful than she could have dreamed in one of her wildest dreams. She started rummaging through the supplies, since they were settled in the area Chesa only had her saddle on when they wanted to go for a flight. "Okay, we need to get more rice, we are good on oats, more bread, the cheese curds are gone, and we need to get more fruits and vegetables… and… a small sack of flour."
"That shouldn't be too hard to carry back from the village, not with Zakai's help." Karma said as she was carving the fine details into the tiny wooden platypus bear she was making. The girls always got fair price for their handmade crafts here.
…
After lunch Anila put a lid over their stew and then she and Karma put their crafts into a basket. Zakai put Aang onto his shoulders as the three of them began the pleasant walk into the village. Anila carried the basket and Sonam rode on her mother's shoulders.
As soon as they entered the marketplace Zakai froze, across the market was two of his step-father's private police squad. He could see the paper they were hanging up around the village. Zakai quickly pulled his mask out of his bag covering his face.
"Those are the guys looking or you, aren't they?" Anila asked, gently squeezing his hand, she had a worried look on her face, she too, had seen the picture drawn onto the scroll.
"Yeah, they are." Zakai said quietly.
"Zaki, it will be okay, we will be as quick as possible, and I doubt they would ever expect to find you with a baby on your shoulders. For all they know you're his daddy." Anila comforted him.
"Yeah, I think you're right… But Nila, can… can I be his daddy?" Zakai managed.
Anila drew in a sharp breath, "You... You want… but he's not…"
"Nila, I do want that, I want it more than I have wanted ANYTHING in my life… I kinda would love to stay with you for the rest of our lives… You told me airbenders don't marry, but once I get everything in order, well…" Zakai's face turned red as he mumbled to the beautiful young woman. "When I get everything straightened out I'll really like to marry you. I love you more than you could ever imagine."
Both Anila and Karma's jaws dropped. "But… but we hardly even know each other!"
"I spent a year waiting in this tiny village the only thing I could think of was how beautiful you are and your voice, it's like music… And Aang. To me, it didn't matter to me how far apart we were'; you were the first thing I thought about in the mornings and the last thing I thought about at night, I am lovesick and the only antidote is to spend the rest of our lives together." Zakai rambled on.
"Zakai, Air Nomads don't believe in love, we don't marry, and we strive for pure enlightenment and rid ourselves of all earthly attachments." Anila's started.
"Oh," Zakai's face fell.
"No, no, no, Zaki," Anila quickly put in, seeing his sad expression broke her heart. "That's not where I was going. Ever since I was little they always drilled into us that Love is forbidden. It never stuck with me, I could never freely give up a child of mine either. I would love to spend the rest of my life with you." Her cheeks pinked as she gave him a shy smile as she thought about giving him children.
The three of them finished selling their crafts and purchasing their supplies, and were ready to head back where a hooded firebender stopped Zakai to talk to him. "Zakai, he's getting closer, someone told him you were last seen here." The man told him.
Zakai took a deep breath of air then blew it out. "Nila, I need to talk to my friend. I'll still carry the bags of rice, but I need you to take Aang… I'll be only a couple minutes behind, I promise, I love you." He managed a handsome smile that Anila knew was fake but right now he needs to talk in private and she knew it.
"Okay Zaki," she softly kissed him good bye then took her son from him, placing the child in her sling. "I love you too! I'll see you in a little bit."
…
The two girls were just returning to their campsite, they were both laughing. Karma had just told Anila how cute 'Zaki and Nila' were together. When they entered the clearing they both stopped and froze. Anila was NOT happy at what she saw, very familiar tall airbender was standing by the tents, she felt anger bubbling up when she saw Zakai's bedding had been kicked around. "What do you want?"
"I've been watching you… You have been a naughty girl! Playing with that firebender!" His tone scared both Anila and Karma.
"Karma, take Aang and go back to the village as fast as you can and get Zakai. Please hurry!" Anila said as she handed her baby boy the frightened young woman.
"Okay, we'll be back as soon as we can." Karma said then took of running as fast as she could with two babies in her arms.
Anila turned back to face him. "You have no right telling me what I can and can't do. Go away and leave like you're good at doing."
"I claim my right as the child's father! If you're a good girl and ask for my forgiveness I'll be nice and take you back." Something was off about him and it scared Anila.
"What is wrong with you?" Anila snapped, "You have no claim over me, you can't tell me what to do! And furthermore you have NO claim over MY baby."
"Sweet, beautiful one," His tone completely changed and he had a sad look in his eyes, "You're not thinking straight right now, and you know you love me. I promise to stay with you and care for you."
"What in the world are you talking about, I'm not thinking straight?" Anila took a few steps back as he advanced towards her.
"You… you told me no… no woman has ever told ME NO!" Amitaruci had a look of pity in his eyes, advancing another few steps closer to her, "So I knew that you weren't thinking straight."
She took a few more steps backwards, "You are the one not thinking straight. I told you no because you hurt me and I can't let you do that again. I can't let you hurt Aang either, I'm only going to say this nicely once more so listen to me carefully. You have no right telling me what I can and can't do. You have no claim over Aang, you weren't there to care for me when I needed the most help, you weren't there when he was born. You wanted NOTHING to do with him until you saw there was something special about him. I don't need you, I don't want you, Leave Us Alone!"
"Didn't you enjoy my little gifts?" He asked her.
"Gifts? What are you talking about?" Anila hadn't accepted any gifts from him.
"The money, silly girl," He chuckled, "I left it under your pillow." Before Anila had realized it she was backed against a tree, Amitaruci reached up and brushed her cheek with the back of his hand. "So beautiful!" He said as he eyed her up and down, "Your body filled out nicely." He told her commenting on her thin light body hugging dress she was wearing.
"DON'T TOUCH ME!" She yelled as she bit his hand, she felt trapped, behind her was one of the sets of cliffs that kept the area private.
Anger appeared on his face, "You little slut!" He yelled as he slapped her face, leaving a red handprint and a split lip.
She shoved him away from her with a strong blast of air, throwing him backwards and on to the ground.
His head hit the ground hard, he wiped a bit of blood from his lip; he had bitten it when he landed on his back. He airbent himself back up and charged her again. He stopped when a wall of fire went up between him and Anila.
"Do not ever touch her again!" Zakai yelled as he entered the clearing. He was quickly at Anila's side checking to make sure she was okay. "Karma get a clean rag and help Anila!" Then he turned back to Amitaruci. "Why are you here? Don't you have some girl half your age to seduce you sick pervert!" He yelled, advancing on Amitaruci. Zakai's knuckles popped as his fist connected with Amitaruci's face. "How do you like being hit?" He yelled.
"How dare you, you stupid ash maker!" Amitaruci said as he shook of the hit. "You are going to regret that!"
"You're going to regret coming here!" Zakai told him, he shoved Amitaruci towards his sky bison.
"All you are doing is making her punishment worse boy I suggest you leave now!" Amitaruci yelled furiously.
The fire inside Zakai had grown hot with anger, flam daggers grew from his clenched fists. "I will personally make sure that you NEVER touch her again!"
"I will do as I wish!" Amitaruci spouted furiously, "I have every right being here that baby is my son!" Aang had become scared from all the shouting, his cries echoed through the clearing, a windstorm was beginning to brew.
"And that beautiful little girl is your daughter, you show no interest in her or Karma!" Zakai yelled as he readied himself to protect the woman and the child he had fallen so deeply in love with.
"They are nothing, to me!" Amitaruci yelled.
Zakai watched as Karma face twisted in shock and heartbreak as she held her daughter against herself. "How could you do that to this girls? Do you even realize that you break their spirit doing that?"
"I don't care, I get what I want. What you will never have from her what I had." Amitaruci smirked as he gloated.
"So what! Do you know what I will have that you never will get from her? He love!" Zakai was done, he wasn't going to let this man upset his new family. Zakai charged, fire daggers ready, he did a spinning fire kick, flames flew out in all directions. Amitaruci jumped out of the way but Zakai's fire caught the bottom of Amitaruci's robes on fire. The robes were quickly thrown to the ground, Zakai took this moment to, make sure everyone was okay before returning fight.
Amitaruci send a hard blast of air out throwing Zakai backwards. He recovered quickly, jumping back up, flames roared around them as Zakai's anger grew. "Leave, Us, Alone!" Zakai Yelled as he directed fireball after fireball after fireball at Amitaruci. "You will never have her again! She is with me now and I WILL do whatever it takes to keep her and MY new son SAFE!" As he yelled he jumped kicked and spun around Amitaruci tripped over a rock as he backed away, tripping and falling to the ground. Zakai inched a flame dagger closer and closer to Amitaruci's face "I should mark you for life! Take away your tool you use to get the girls to do what you want! Good thing I'm not like you, taking away part of someone. I am letting you go because I love Anila and I respect her beliefs. Get the hell out of here, and if you do come back I WILL mark you!"
Amitaruci got up as soon as Zakai backed off, he jumped up onto his bison's head and took off as quickly as they could manage. His cheeks still red from the heat of Zakai's fire daggers.
Zakai ran over to Anila, who was trying to calm Aang down, Zakai now realizing the wind whipping all around them. He surveyed Anila's face, assessing the damage Amitaruci inflicted. Her lip was bleeding, she had a huge red welt across her cheek and the skin under her eye was starting to darken. "I'm so sorry Nila! I'm so, so, so sorry! I should have been here, I should have protected you!" He pulled her and Aang into his chest.
Anila felt safe in his arms, her ear pressed against his chest, she heard his erratic breathing then his body shuttered and Anila knew he was crying for her. "I love you" She told him
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